Flight Testing Autonomous Aerial Systems

What is the difference between automation and autonomy, and where does artificial intelligence fit in when it comes to military aviation?

On this episode, Ms. Jessica "STING" Peterson, Ph.D. student and part time Instructor Flight Test Engineer at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, explains the nuanced differences, drawing on her experience flight testing the RQ-4 Global Hawk and collision avoidance systems.

Aircraft, both civil and military, have been equipped with auto pilots for decades. With advancing technology, it seems all but inevitable that autonomous and artificially intelligent aircraft are the next logical step.